Terms of Service & Festival Regulations
1. Festival Purpose & Guiding Theme
The Ąžuolynas International Students Film Festival is a non-profit educational initiative dedicated to promoting youth cinematic creativity under the overarching theme: “An unusual view at ordinary things”.
These Terms govern entry submission, curation, screening rights, audience choice voting, and festival awards.
2. Eligibility & Technical Standards
- Smartphone / Tablet Requirement: Films must be filmed exclusively using a smartphone or tablet (iOS, Android, etc.). Professional cinema cameras are prohibited to ensure fair creative equity. Stabilizers, microphones, and tripods are permitted.
- Duration Limit: Total running time from first to final frame must strictly not exceed 180 seconds (3 minutes). Opening titles and end credits count toward this duration.
- Age Categories: Open to international students aged 10 through 18:
- Category I: 10–13 years old;
- Category II: 14–18 years old.
- Entry Limit: Each student or student group may submit a maximum of 1 film per season.
- File Format: MP4, MOV, or WEBM formats, recommended maximum size 300 MB.
3. Youth Authorship & Adult Support
Authenticity: Screenwriting, directing, filming, acting, and editing must be executed by the student filmmakers. Adults (teachers, parents) may guide safety and provide equipment, but must not take creative control.
Music & Copyright: Filmmakers are encouraged to use Royalty-Free, Creative Commons, or original compositions. Entrants assume responsibility for any third-party intellectual property utilized.
4. Screening Grant & Non-Exclusive License
By entering, the filmmaker grants the Festival a royalty-free, non-exclusive license to:
- Stream and display the film on the official festival web platform;
- Screen the work during the public gala ceremony in Kaunas on April 17, 2026;
- Feature excerpts (up to 30 seconds) in non-commercial promotional materials and retrospective archives.
Full ownership and moral rights remain permanently with the student filmmaker.
5. Public Audience Choice Voting Rules
Our public voting feature allows film enthusiasts to support their favorite entries. To safeguard integrity:
- Each visitor is granted strictly one vote during the active festival period;
- The use of automated bots, scripts, proxy farms, or artificial vote inflation is strictly prohibited;
- The festival organizing committee reserves the right to audit and invalidate fraudulent voting attempts.
6. Jury Decisions & Awards
Entries are assessed by an independent jury of media educators and film practitioners. Judging criteria prioritize thematic insight, visual creativity, and authentic youth perspectives over expensive production gear.
All jury determinations regarding shortlist selections, category winners, and grand prizes are final.
7. Organizing Team Contacts
For questions or assistance regarding festival rules and submission: